Safety headgear



Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD W. BULLARD, OF SAN CISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TOiPACIFIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, \OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 01 CALIFORNIA v Application. filed January 9, 1931.

is danger of being struck by falling objects.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a headgear possessed of a sufficient degree of rigidity to protect. the wearer from injury by falling objects, and still light enough to be worn without discomfort.

Another object of my invention is the provision in a safety headgear of the character described, of waterproofing means for protecting the wearer against rain orother conditions of moisture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a safety headgear offering great resistane to damage.

Further objects of my invention include the provision, in a safety headgear of the character described, of improved means for supporting the headgear on the head of a wearer so that circulation of air adjacent the wearer s cap is allowed, and whereby the headgear may be adjustably positioned.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention, as I may adopt Variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of the safety but embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view, on a reduced scale,

of the blank from which the crown of the hat is formed.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view I taken at the base of the crown, and shows the SAFETY HEADGEAR Serial No. 507,617.

jects, such as rock, bricks, hot rivets and the like. i The crown preferably comprises a single sheet of material provided with peripheral notches to facilitate shaping the crown, and a ring is preferably provided for holding the crown in shape.

A water-proof cover is adhesively secured over the crown. The cover is preferably of fabric; a water-proof cement being applied to the cover to saturate it and at the same time adhesively unite it with the crown. A lining for supporting the headgear on the head of the wearer is provided, and refer ably comprises a plurality of straps; t e low-' er ends of the straps being held between the erown'and ring, and the upper ends being ad- 'justably securedtogcther. A brim is preferably provided overlying the cover, and means are provided for securing the brim, cover and crown together. A water-proof crown band is also referably provided overlying the cover an brim and adhesively sesafety hat, because it is tough, chemically inert, and a non-conductor of bothheat and electricity. At the same time the crown material is light enough to make the hat eomfortable for wearing. and still possesses suf- 'ficient rigidity and strength to protect the wearer against injury from falling objects.

As shown in Figure 3 the sheet material is punched or otherwise cut to provide a blank 3. The blank is ovoid in sha e, and is provided with notches 4 at the intersection of the blank periphery with the major-axis 6 and minor axis 7 of the ovoid. In forming the crown the blank 3 is steamed. After being steamed for about fifteen minutes the fibre becomes sufficiently pliable to be readily pressed into a dome shape, with the notches 4 substantially closed.

A retaining ring 8, preferably of fibrous thereof to hold the. crown in shape.

material similar to that used in the-crown, but more flexible, is secured adjacent the edge of the crown 2 and preferably on the ORtSIldG 1ning for supporting the hat on the head of a wearer is-provided, and preferably comprises a plurality of straps 9 of heavy fabric or other strong flexible material. These straps, which ma conveniently be four in number, are space about the periphery of the crown 2', and are caught at their lower ends between the crown and retaining ring 8. Any suitable fastening means, such as the stitching 11, may be used to secure the ring, lining and crown together.

The upper ends of the lining straps 9 are secured together by suitable connecting means. Th1s is preferably accomplished by folding backand fastening the ends of the straps, and then passing a tie cord 12 thru the loops 13 thus formed. By tying 'the cord ends together the lining straps are adjustably secured, and by merely loosening or tightening the tie cord' the hat may be adjustably positioned on the wearers head. Since the crown is supported on the lining straps, any load applied to the crown is dlstributed over the head of the wearer. Also, in passing the straps over the edge of the crown a snubbing action is provided, which feature adds considerable strength to the fastening.

By building the lining up of a plurality ofstraps a strong support is provided, and at the same time circulation of air adjacent the wearers scalp is allowed. Furthermore, the straps contact with only portions of the head, which feature of the lining adds to the spring and flexibility of the headgear. These features of the lining are particularly important in a safety hat, because it is the lining that supports the hat and serves to transmit the force of a blow to the wearers head.

A sweat band 14 of suitable soft material is provided, and is folded over the lower edge of the retaining ring 8 to extend u the inner and outer sides of the ring. The and overlaps the lower ends of the lining straps 9 to protect the wearershead, and a spacing strip 16 of soft felt or other suitable material is interposed between the sweat band and retaining ring to add to the comfort'of the wearer. Fastening means, such as the stitchstretching the fabric cover sheets l8-over the crown 2 and then applying a suitable waterproof cement to saturate the cover and at the same time adhesively unite it to the crown.

' The edges of the cover sbeetswpreferably extend down over the retaining ring 8 and overlap the outer edge of the sweat band 14. Y

A suitable brim 19 is provided, and preferably overlies the retaining ring and the overlapping portions of the cover sheets 18 and sweat band 14. As best illustrated in Figure 4, the brim, cover, sweat band and ring are held together by suitable bindin means,

tion of water-proof cement would serve to,

saturate thecrown band and bind it to the cover and brim. In all events, the brim 19, cover sheets 18 and crown band 21 are adhesively united together to present a waterproof surface to. the weather.

An important feature of the safety hat constructlon lies in the fact that the cover sheets 18 are adhesively united to the crown 2 to form an integral mass. Thisfollows because the cover is an integral part of the crown, and as such is not likely to become torn by falling objects.

Y Iclaimr" I 1. The combination with a hat crown having a ring secured adjacent the edge thereof on the outside of the crown, of "a lining comprising a plurality of spaced strap's ,'the lower ends of said straps extending over the edge of said crown and held between the ring and the crown, binding means passing thru ring, lining-and crown for holding them together, and means for securing the up r ends of said straps together in free space relation to the crown.

2. A safety headgear comprising a crown, a water-proof cover over the crown, a brim overlying the cover, means securing the brim, cover and crown together, and a waterproof crown band overlying the cover and brim and adhesively united to both.

3. A safety headgear com rising a crown, a ring secured adjacent the edge of the crown, a water-proof cover over the crown and 'overlapping the ring, a brim overlying the ring and cover, binding means securing the brim, cover and ring together, and a water-proof crown band overlying the cover and brimand adhesively united to both.

4. A safety headgear comprising a crown, a fabric cover over the crown, a brim overlying the cover, means securing the brim,

cover and crown to ether, a fabric band overlying the cover an brim, and a water-proof cement saturating the cover and band and adhesively uniting them together and to the substructure.

5. A safety head ear comprisin a crown formed from a sing e sheet of her com acted material, a ring secured on the outsi e of the crown and ad acent the edge thereof, and a lining extending directly over and binding against the edge of 'said single-sheet crown and held between the ring and the crown.

6. A safety headgear comprising a hat crown having a ring secured adjacent the edge thereof on the outside of the crown, a lining comprising a plurality of straps secured at spaced points along the edge of the crown, the lower ends of said straps extending over the edge of said crown and held between the ring and the crown, said straps extending upwardly in free spaced relation to the crown and terminating in close proximityto each other adjacent to the top of the wearers head, the upper ends of said straps being (provided with loops, a drawstring free of sai crown and passin through said s and engaging only said oops for adjustab y securing the up er ends of the straps topassing through gether, and bin ing means said ring, straps and crown.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

' EDWARD W. BULLARD. 

